Although he had won the Hart Trophy every year but one since stepping foot in the league, even Wayne Gretzky was not safe from being traded from the team who he helped bring four Stanley Cup championships to. After being sent to Los Angeles, Gretzky faced much skepticism on whether or not he’d be able to stay focused and on his superstar track while living under the bright lights of Hollywood. Wasting no time, Gretzky silenced all doubters and captured his ninth Hart trophy after posting 168 points split between 54 goals and 114 assists during the ’88-’89 season. While also taking the Kings to their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance that year, Gretzky’s most remarkable impact from his time in California came with the addition of the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks to the NHL as these moves were only possible due to his stardom and celebrityhood captivating an entirely new region of fans who had not been exposed to the greatness of hockey prior to The Great One’s arrival. This image is autographed by Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky’s signature was witnessed by an Upper Deck representative as part of UDA’s 5-step authentication process. This item is not limited.
